New Orleans Pelicans: Betting Odds for NBA Disney

The New Orleans Pelicans have a tough road to the playoffs, but they are still favored to capture the 8th seed from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to overtake the Trail Blazers in eight games, hold off the Kings and Spurs, then beat the Grizzlies two games in a row to make the playoffs.

It won’t be easy.

But the Pelicans are still favored to do it according to FiveThirtyEight, who gives the Pels a 45% chance to make the playoffs.

This is down from 60% when the season was suspended, as the Pelicans now have fewer games to catch the Grizzlies and the schedule got more difficult.

The Grizzlies are given a 37% chance even though they control their own destiny more than any of the other teams chasing the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

The Kings are given just a 7% chance, which seems strange considering they will be in the same position as the Pelicans, 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies.

Both the Spurs and Suns are essentially being counted out, given less than a 1% of making the playoffs.

No word on whether oddsmakers saw pictures of the new, slim Zion Williamson before making their predictions.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be favored in their first game against the Jazz

Not only are the Pelicans being given the best odds of making the playoffs, they are also favored in their first game against the Utah Jazz.

According to the Action Network, the Pelicans are -126 favorites to beat Jazz and the point spread is -2.5 for the Pelicans. The over/under is 220.5, which is well below the two teams’ season averages.

Sharps are probably expecting some rust in the first game, as both teams have been on hiatus for months and will only have an abbreviated training camp to get ready.

Sports books will undoubtedly struggle to come up with lines for games that may not feature full teams, are on neutral courts with no fans and being played by guys who haven’t played meaningful basketball in months.

Bettors beware.